


I saw your face in a crowded place

by emilia_kaisa



Series: blunt challenge [10]
Category: Figure Skating RPF, Ski Jumping RPF
Genre: Friendship, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Not Beta Read, Pining, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:27:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29590698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilia_kaisa/pseuds/emilia_kaisa
Summary: Yuzuru really dislikes wearing suits.
Relationships: Javier Fernández & Yuzuru Hanyu, Yuzuru Hanyu/Ryoyu Kobayashi
Series: blunt challenge [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138568
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	I saw your face in a crowded place

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the iconic "You're beautiful" <3  
> I hope you enjoy!

Yuzuru really dislikes wearing suits.

He has years of experience, but he decided long ago that he would never feel fully comfortable wearing that. The cut is weird and the sleeves and pants are a tad too long, but he knows that's his fault, he could have got that fixed easily but forgot about it, busy with too many things. He will have to get that in order, though, because that's only the beginning of the busy pre-Olympic time, and there's going to be only more interviews and photoshoots and events like the one Yuzuru is about to attend, and he probably should take care of making himself feel a bit more comfortable.

He sighs, looking around the room and smiling at some girl with a clipboard in her hand. She has been clearly staring at him and now her face covers with scarlet blush and she turns around, basically running away.

Yuzuru bites back another sigh and reaches to the collar of his shirt, wanting to lose it up a little, but he stops himself at the last moment, realizing that messing with his look isn't the best idea.

He feels a wave of relief when he sees a familiar face in the crowded room, and he raises his hand, waving shortly to catch Rika's attention. It works and she smiles at him, making her way closer and standing next to him. There's a ton of people there, some faces familiar and some not, and Yuzuru wishes there would be more of his skating friends, but with everyone having their own schedule, it wasn't that easy. But at least Rika is here, so that's good. Yuzuru isn't really fond of appearing on live tv, but it's just something that has to be done, and he knows he can handle it, even though he can think of at least a dozen of other things he would rather do instead.

He flinches and focuses on Rika again, and she looks a little bit awkward, probably nervous, but her smile is as nice as always, so Yuzuru decides to distract her, knowing exactly how it feels to be put in that situation where more and more pressure is being put on your shoulders.

"That's a very pretty dress." he decides to compliment her, and Rika's smile widens, hand coming to smooth the purple fabric "I bought it in Switzerland."

"It suits you."

"You don't seem to be very happy with your tie, though." Rika notices with a chuckle and Yuzuru groans, raising his hands in a helpless gesture.

"I would so ditch that if I could."

"Then you should do it."

Yuzuru flinches, surprised by the unfamiliar voice.

He turns towards the guy that has approached them, but whatever he was going to say fleets his mind as he stares at one of the most attractive people he has seen in his life, and he met plenty in his life. He doesn't react like that usually and it baffles him especially because the guy clearly notices his abashment, lips forming a little smirk. Yuzuru feels like he's about to die from embarassment and lack of oxygen in his lungs, but then Rika steps in, seeming blissfully unaware of the mess Yuzuru has turned all of the sudden.

During the following minutes Yuzuru learns that the handsome stranger's name is Ryoyu and he's a ski jumper, and Yuzuru realizes he has heard of him before. But he doesn't really have time to follow other sports closely, making exceptions for some baseball match from time to time, and now he feels truly embarassed for being poorly informed about his fellow athletes.

"It's very nice to meet you." Ryoyu says after Rika introduces them "And seriously, I would ditch the tie if it bothers you."

"Umm, it's fine." Yuzuru says, feeling quite dumb, and Ryoyu laughs shortly, running his hand through his dark, silky hair that look really, really soft.

"Well, you inspired me, though." he says, and to Yuzuru's utter amazement, he gets rid of his tie and puts it into a pocket. Then he reaches up again and ubuttons the top of his shirt, all while grinning cheekily.

"Ah, much better!" he sighs, combing his hair with his fingers, mussing it up completely in a way that will probably give the tv stylists a heartattack.

He still looks elegant and still tv eligible, but there's something slightly wild about him, carefree and comfrotable, and for some reason that makes him look even more attractive, if that's even possible. Yuzuru notices all of that the moment someone calls Ryoyu's name, which is kind of a blessing because he can stop making a fool out of himself. He even manages not to stare at Ryoyu's back as he's walking away, and he looka back at Rika who watches him with her usual kind smile.

"You like him?"

"Huh?" Yuzuru stammers, feeling his face warming up, and Rika's smile widens.

"He's cool, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he seems nice." Yuzuru says, and this time he can't stop himself from looking around briefly in hope to catch a glimpse of Ryoyu "Very nice."

The program isn't a complete disaster, but Yuzuru knows that wasn't his top tv appearance. He was a bit distracted, stammering a couple of times over easy answers, but at least all the attention wasn't on him, although he could feel many eyes focused on him. It ends up quicker than he feard and he breathes out with relief when he leaves the studio, air in the corridor feeling a bit fresher. He also finally tugs at his tie, getting rid of it and taking a deep breath, knowing that he's being a little overdramatic, but he's tired and just wants to go home.

"Feels good, doesn't it?"

Yuzuru's heart skips a beat as Ryoyu materializes next to him, smiling.

"Yes." is all Yuzuru says, wishing to speak a little bit more, but then someone steps in his way, a young man asking if he would find a couple of minutes for one interview more, and Yuzuru stops dutifully, not really having it in him to refuse.

He glances at Ryoyu who doesn't stop, but he slows down and turns around so he's walking backwards, his hands in his pockets, everything about him smooth and confident.

"See you in Beijing!"

Yuzuru smiles nervously and waves, and focuses on the guy standing in front of him, trying to answer questions as his mind seems to be a thousand miles away.

* * *

For the next couple of months, he barely thinks of Ryoyu Kobayashi.

Or at least that's what he tells himself, even as he checks online results of ski jumping competitions. It's just to know how others are doing, because he of course wants his national team to do good at the Olympics.

Just that.

It doesn't have to do anything with Ryoyu's smile, or how he cuts the air smoothly when he jumps, or how he looks in that black tight shirt he's wearing under the suit.

So yeah, he barely thinks about him, in reality, he thinks nothing of him at all, because he's too smart to develop a crush on someone he barely knows, a crush that would be doomed from a very start.

And he has other things to worry about, real things like his skating, his programs, yet another Olympic dream that has creeped on him so quietly and now circles in his veins.

* * *

  
  


Yuzuru thinks he's great at keeping his cool until he walks into their team house in the olympic village and he basically walks in the middle of the ski jumping representation. He yelps, narrowly avoiding crashing into someone, and then he trips over his own shoes, and the sole reasond he doesn't end up on the floor is someone's hand gripping his elbow and helping him to catch his balance again.

"Careful!" he hears a familiar chuckle, and his heart leaps in his chest, knowing who the voice belongs to even before he looks up.

"Hi, thanks." he mutters awkwardly, and he hates how much aware he is of Ryoyu's hand on his body, and it's the first time they actually touch.

He's brought back to reality by a polite greeting from one of the other guys, and he spends the next couple of minutes trying to remember the names and not to embarass himself in front of these people who look at him with quite some respect.

Ryoyu lets go of his arm at some point, putting his hands in his pockets and engaging in a chat with Sara, and Yuzuru's guts twist into tight knots.

He excuses himself quickly, a smile Ryoyu sends him burns in his brain, imprinting in his memory. Yuzuru finds his room and drops on the bed, sighing as he looks at the ceiling and braces himself for a tough couple of days.

After the competiton is done, he's mostly tired.

The result he has achieved isn't what he was hoping for, but he handles it better than he would have when he was younger. It's good that Javi is here; he's busy with his own duties, but Yuzuru still feels the most comfortable with him, even though they havent's been training together for years. But still, it's Javi, someone who knows Yuzuru so well, familiar with every gesture and every mask he's putting on, and at least with him, Yuzuru doesn't have to pretend.

"You're good?" Javi asks, nudging his foot under the table, and Yuzuru shrugs, staring down at his cup of hot chocolate.

They're sitting in one of many cafeterias scattered around the olympic village, this one luckily not too packed, but that's probably because of the hour, only a couple minutes after noon.

"I'm fine." he sighs, shrugging again "But I think I will retire. It's time."

It's weird, saying that out loud, but if Javi is surprised he doesn't show it, only nods and smiles with understanding.

"If you need tips, I'm here. But are you sure-"

"I think I am. This event was proof."

"Yuzu-" Javi starts, but he stops when a group of people enters the cafeteria, their collective laughter ringing in the air. There's plenty of them, and Yuzuru's eyes immediately find Ryoyu, and he turns back to Javi as if something was burning, his throat clenching nervously.

"Hey, are you okay?" Javi asks, noticing his distress, because of course he notices, he was always too damn good at it. He wants to answer, but insead he turns around again only to notice with horror that Ryoyu is watching him with a grin spreading his lips, and he waves happily the moment he sees Yuzuru looking his way.

Yuzuru waves back weakly and focuses on Javi again, his cheeks warming up already and starting to burn when his friend is throwing him a glance that is both amused and caring.

"Okay, I see what's going on." he says fondly, and Yuzuru flinches, looking back at him.

"Nothing-"

"Yuzu, I've known you for years, and it's the first time I see you having a crush..."

"I don't!" Yuzuru hisses, and Javi only raises his eyebrows, so Yuzuru lowers his voice "I don't have a crush."

"Sure you don't-"

"Javi, stop." Yuzuru says before he can truly weigh his words "You're making it worse."

That actually makes Javi stop talking, smile fading as he looks at Yuzuru with more attention than before, eyes narrowing slightly.

"What's going on?" he asks, voice slightly lower, to match Yuzuru's tone.

"I can't do it, you know." Yuzuru mutters.

It's not easy, to finally voice what he has been refusing to fully acknowledge during the last couple of months. But maybe he needs it, to say it out loud, and who would be better to tell it to if not one of the people he trusts the most?

"I can't... have a crush on him." he says quietly "It's pointless. So can you... can you not?"

Javi watches him for a moment, and even though they don't speak, Yuzuru can tell that Javi understands, and that the knowledge makes him a bit uncomfortable, and the last thing Yuzuru wants to see in his eyes is even more compassion, so he shakes his head quickly, reaching to put his hand over Javi's.

"It's okay. It's fine?"

"It's not." Javi sighs, covering Yuzuru's hand with his bigger one "I can see that you like him, you know. And by the way he's glancing at you constantly, I think he likes you too."

Javi's words send a thrill of excitement up Yuzuru's spine, but then he collects himself quickly, ignoring his fluttering heart.

"You know I can't." he says quietly. Behind him Ryoyu laughs, and talks to someone who speaks back with some distinct accent, and Yuzuru's stomach clenches "Maybe he can, but I..." his voice cracks a little at the end, and he thinks it's stupid, because he doesn't even know Ryoyu.

He only knows that he's funny and kind, that he's a great athlete, and that he looks good no matter what he's wearing. And that's the only knowledge he'll ever get, because he has to let that little fascination go, now, or as fast as he can.

Yuzuru isn't the one to back off when obstacles appear.

But in that case he has to let go.

"Okay." Javi says softly, squeezing Yuzuru's fingers "You want to get out of here?"

"Please." Yuzuru mutters tiredly and as they leave, he's just grateful that Javi doesn't let go of his hand.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!!


End file.
